Chapter 273
Chapter 274
3rd Person’s POV
Past midnight, Rowan tore the IV from his arm.
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The line snapped free with a wet sound, blood trailing down his skin as he ripped away the remaining monitors and bindings without hesitation. Pain barely registered. It was drowned beneath something far stronger-something primal.
Hunger.
Obsession.
He moved like a creature unchained, vaulting through the window instead of the door, landing hard and already moving. His senses flared wide, wolf rising fully beneath his skin as he dragged in the night air. Searching for her scent.
Faint, lingering threads of Lylah clung to the wind, and he followed without thought. The bracelet was clutched tight in his palm.
Azrel had never seen his Alpha like this.
But he wasn’t Gavriel-he didn’t dare to step in, not when Rowan had unraveled into something so feral, driven mad by the ghost of a past that refused to loosen its claws. So he followed at a distance, silent, obedient, unease gnawing at his instincts.
Neither of them noticed the shift in the air.
The subtle distortion. The way the night itself seemed to still-
Until a presence stepped into existence before them.
Rowan’s lips curved.
Azrel froze.
“A-Alpha Ezra…” the Beta stammered, instinct forcing his head lower despite himself.
Ezra stood beneath the spill of moonlight, still as carved stone.
“You have my Luna’s bracelet,” he said, his voice calm-too calm. “I came to take it back p>
His
gaze flicked briefly to Rowan’s bloodied state, then returned, sharp and measured.
“Voluntarily would be the only way you leave this standing. Because in your current state, you
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Chapter 274
have no chance of surviving p>
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“Hah-” Rowan spat, something jagged and unstable tearing through his voice. “Careful, Ezra.” His lips stretched into a crooked, fevered grin, blood catching at the corner. “Lylah came to me herself, walked right into my reach, and placed this in my hand herself p>
His fingers curled tighter around the bracelet.
“Do you know what she told me? That I should keep it. A reminder until the day she comes back where she belongs p>
A soft, broken laugh slipped from him.
“When she leaves you, when she’s done pretending with your precious bond. Because no matter what claim you think you have-” His gaze snapped up, wild, blazing. “Her heart is still mine p>
Silence fell.
“Don’t stain my Luna’s name with delusions you’ve convinced yourself are truth,” Ezra. replied.
Still calm.
Still composed.
But something beneath it thinned.
Like tension pulled too tight.
Facing Rowan had always been the one thing that tested that control. Across lifetimes, across second chances granted by Selene-some things did not change.
Rowan, least of all.
“Give it back,” Ezra said again, quieter now. “I made a vow not to spill another Alpha’s blood. But I’m willing to break it if you insist p>
Rowan laughed-sharp and unhinged.
“You think you can hurt me?” he shot back, stepping forward despite the instability in his stance. “Don’t put yourself on a pedestal, Ezra. Every time you’ve ‘won’ against me…” his lips curled, “…it was because I allowed it p>
His eyes darkened.
“One move from me, and everything you have will slip from your grasp.” His voice turned cold. “Including her p>
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Chapter 274
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Rowan wasn’t thinking clearly.
The healer’s medicine still clouded his system, dulling reason, feeding the instability already clawing at him.
He couldn’t feel the shift in the air.
The way the night bent.
But Azrel did. Every instinct screamed. And before the moment could snap and the Alpha of Moonclaw lost control,
He fled.
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It happened in less than a breath. One moment, Ezra stood a few paces away. The next-
He was already there.
Towering over Rowan like a reaper summoned by blood and moonlight.
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The Betrayed Princess Rising
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.